The Auburn Tigers finished the season at 12th place in the Southeastern Conference with a 17-16 overall record and 7-11 in the conference. This was Auburn’s weakest performance in years and a steep decline from last year’s conference leaders.
In the days leading up to Selection Sunday, there were speculations about Auburn’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament. Many believed that the Tigers’ resume paled in comparison to their rivals for a spot in March Madness.
When the committee released its official list, Auburn was missing. It didn’t come as a surprise to many, but the absence still managed to raise questions. The SMU Mustangs, being the last entry in the bracket, brought more attention to Auburn.
Kevin Scarbinsky posted a list of teams that are part of the NCAA field and were defeated by the two teams. The SMU Mustangs defeated UNC, Louisville, and Texas A&M, whereas the Tigers defeated Florida, Arkansas, St John’s, Kentucky, Texas, NC State, and Queens.
In comparison, the Oklahoma Sooners, who were also left out, defeated five NCAA Tournament-seeded teams. Bruce Pearl, the former head coach of the Auburn Tigers, stated that Auburn was a better team than the Mustangs.
“I asked the question and that was the answer the commissioner gave. Nobody got screwed here as it’s always close but Auburn was better than SMU in 5 out of 7 metrics and the number and quality wins aren’t even close. AU beat 3 Power 5 Conference Champs! SMU OOCSOS 191 AUBURN 16,” he wrote.
Some fans are calling it a snub, while others are saying the Tigers had an easy schedule and it cost them a chance to play in March Madness.
Selection Committee Chair Keith Gill on Why Auburn Didn’t Make the NCAA Tournament
Selection Committee Chair Keith Gill, during his conversation with Matt Norlander, was asked about the bubble teams that didn’t make the field of 68. He explained why the Auburn Tigers didn’t make the cut.
“The first four out was very close. You mention Auburn,” Gill said. “Obviously, they had a really strong strength of schedule. They had some really good wins – that win at Florida is a great win.”
“But when you look at that winning percentage – 51.5% – you know, the 16 losses. When the committee took that all into consideration, they thought they just hadn’t done enough to make it inside the field.”
The Auburn Tigers will have their NIT matchup on March 17 against the South Alabama Jaguars.
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